The assailant was detained minutes later with a gun in his possession, which authorities said belonged to a close relative.
A 12-year-old boy killed a schoolmate and injured two others at an institution in Helsinki, Finland. The suspect was apprehended by the police. The incident took place at Viertola Secondary School in the northern part of the capital at 9 a.m. local time.
While the incident is still under investigation, it was confirmed that the boy opened fire on his classmates, and the bullets hit three other children of the same age.
The assailant was detained minutes later with a gun in his possession, which authorities said belonged to a close relative. It was also confirmed that one of the children died from their injuries, while the other two are hospitalized in critical condition.
When the officers arrived at the school, the suspect had left the premises. According to Finnish authorities, the arrest, which occurred in another neighborhood of Helsinki, was peaceful, and the shooter admitted to the incident during the preliminary interview.
“A day like this should not have happened,” said Ilka Koskimaki, the head of the Police Department in the region, who reported the death of the 12-year-old boy as well as the “serious” condition of the other two injured children. Koskimaki lamented that different types of similar “threats” occur “weekly” and that as a society, they have not learned from shootings in other educational institutions.
The suspect could face charges of murder and attempted murder, as there was “some degree of planning,” according to district commissioner Kimmo Hyvarinen. Due to his age, he cannot be imprisoned, so he will be handed over to social services.
Viertola Secondary School is an elementary school attended by around 800 students daily, with a staff of 90 people.
